Doha, November 21 (QNA) - The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the giants of the African continent in terms of area and natural resources. To illustrate its vastness, it is sometimes described as a "subcontinent" or a "continent within a continent." It is the second-largest country in Africa by area, after Algeria, spanning a vast area of approximately 2,344,858 km.

The Congo shares a total of 9,165 kilometers of borders with nine neighboring countries, which represents a significant advantage on multiple levels, including investment. It also overlooks the Atlantic Ocean in the west through a narrow coastline of no more than 50 km, where the Congo River flows into the sea. The country has an estimated population of around 120 million people, making it one of the most populous countries on the continent, with tremendous diversity encompassing more than 200 ethnic and cultural groups.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is considered one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources, making it a strategic hub for the twenty-first century. This is especially significant as the global economy increasingly depends on the minerals in which the country holds the largest reserves, with its untapped mineral wealth estimated at around $24 trillion.

The DRC is the world’s leading supplier of several strategic minerals, foremost among them cobalt, producing more than 70% of global output. Cobalt is an essential component in the production of lithium batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones, and laptops, making this mineral a strategic asset in the era of the transition to clean energy.

Approximately 10% of the world’s copper reserves are located within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a metal essential for electricity transmission networks and renewable energy infrastructure. The country also produces coltan, a critical mineral used in electronics such as capacitors, smartphones, and medical devices, and possesses significant reserves of diamonds, gold, lithium, tin, zinc, manganese, and more.

According to World Bank estimates, the mining sector accounts for around 90% of the country’s exports, with production exceeding $25 billion in 2024 from copper and cobalt alone.

But the wealth is not limited to the minerals of the earth; the skies and rivers also contribute to this richness. The Democratic Republic of the Congo holds a large portion of the African Amazon, the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world, covering 60% of the Congo Basin.

These forests play a vital role in regulating the global climate. Their value goes beyond being a source of exceptional biodiversity, with more than 10,000 plant species and 2,000 animal species; they are also a major source for the timber trade and industry and potentially generate up to $900 million annually through carbon credit markets.

Regarding agricultural potential, the DRC has 80 million hectares of arable land, 90% of which remains undeveloped. According to United Nations reports, these fertile lands, nourished by abundant rivers and groundwater, could feed more than two billion people. With sufficient rainfall, this land gives the Democratic Republic of the Congo the capacity to become Africa’s breadbasket. 

The main crops produced on these lands include rice, cotton, coffee, cassava, maize, peanuts, fruits, tobacco, sugarcane, cocoa, rubber, and palm oil. However, current production meets only about 10% of domestic demand, making the Democratic Republic of the Congo a net food importer despite its vast potential. The agricultural sector contributes around 18% of GDP and provides over 60% of new job opportunities.

In terms of hydropower, the Congo River, the world’s second-largest river by flow, has the potential to generate more than 100,000 megawatts of electricity through the Inga Dam project and its subsequent expansion plans. It is one of the largest hydropower projects in the world, with the capacity to supply a significant portion of Africa with clean electricity at a low cost.

Transportation in the country relies heavily on rivers, particularly the Congo River, which is the second-longest river in Africa and the deepest river in the world, reaching depths of over 220 meters. In addition, land transport via roads and railways faces significant infrastructure challenges.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also home to several national parks listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Virunga National Park, which serves as a sanctuary for many rare animals, including mountain gorillas.

The gap between the country’s agricultural potential and its reliance on food imports presents a massive investment opportunity. In response, the government in Kinshasa launched an agricultural transformation program aiming to invest $6.6 billion over ten years. Attracting investment is a key factor in improving the business climate, and the DRC government continues to make determined efforts to position the country as a destination for both domestic and international investments.

In this context, in July 2021, the Democratic Republic of the Congo endorsed a business climate reform roadmap and adopted a national strategic development plan to enable investors to explore new markets in promising growth sectors.

This plan focuses on several key sectors, including education, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industry, new information and communication technologies, insurance, and more. It aims to diversify the Congolese economy and enhance its resilience, which is the main safeguard against external shocks.

Through the implementation of this plan, the DRC intends to achieve its desired level of development in three main stages: first, to become a middle-income country (Level One) by 2030 through agricultural transformation; second, to reach the stage of upper-middle-income status (Level Two) by 2040 through manufacturing; and third, to attain high-income status (Level Three) by 2050 through knowledge accumulation. This involves building a knowledge-based society by investing heavily in human capital development, research, and innovation.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo represents a truly opportunity-rich investment destination in every sense of the word, thanks to the diversity and abundance of its natural resources across the country. Youth under the age of 25 make up around 60% of the total population, estimated at 120 million people, creating a vast labor force and a large consumer market. (QNA)